DEVELOPMENTS IN GREECE

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 October 1944, Page 6

DEVELOPMENTS IN GREECE

GERMAN WITHDRAWAL

LONDON, October 28

Hitler has decided on a complete German withdrawal from Greece, owing to the threat to the rear of the German forces in the Balkans. This decision is attributed by the Official Gorman News Agency to the “betrayal" of Germany by Rumania and Bulgaria. The Gormans say that British troops have landed on the island of Melos, 70 miles east of the Greek mainland in the Cyclades. There is no confirmation of this report, but the Allied Mediterranean communique said that Allied warships bombarded the island yesterday. “Royal Air Force pilots reported on Saturday that Salonika was covered with smoke from demolitions, and it was evident that the Germans were preparing to leave the city,” says a correspondent in Greece. “German evacuation, trains have left Katerini on the way out. One pilot reported that nine miles were in Katerini station and there were trains every few miles between Katerini and Salonika. Royal Air Force medium bombers operating from Greece are impeding the enemy’s evacuation. “When German mines exploded at Athens on Friday 25 persons wore killed and 35 were injured,” says the British United Press correspondent at Athens. Shots rang out in the centre of the city durin" a patriotic parade in honour of Mr Eden and General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson. One member of the Greek forces was killed. His assailant is reported to have worn the uniform oF a Greek Army major. Our forward units in Greece reached the area of Kazani forty-five miles from the Jugoslav border, where they are harassing the retreating enemy, writes a Rome correspondent. On Sunday afternoon many enemy guns and mortars were silenced when 6ur artillery bombarded German positions close to the town.